Tag Archives: Nigeria

Truth be told, I’ve never seen or heard of a Nigerian who is a Vegetarian-and that is the problem with Nigeria. I can see you rolling your eyes like,”Yeah right, we all know the problem with Nigeria but we never can pick the way to solve it.”

Anyway, being a vegetarian requires a level of discipline beyond the capabilities of the average Nigerian. Y’know it can be heart-breaking seeing all that Sallah beef disappearing during Eid, then the chicken and turkey too goes at Christmas, Easter and New Year and you don’t even get a taste.

What’s worse, you’ll have to pretend like it doesn’t smell good. Then how do you explain to guests at your occasions that you don’t eat meat. For God’s sake, you’ll find yourself visiting Synagogue Church for healing and deliverance.

On average, vegetarians consume a lower proportion of calories from fats(particularly saturated fatty acids), fewer overall calories, more fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, than do non-vegetarians. Vegetarians generally have a lower body mass index. These characteristics and other lifestyle factors associated with a vegetarian diet may contribute to the positive health outcomes that have been identified among vegetarians.

The health benefits being highlighted thus, I’ll give another important reason -economic reasons. Cost of beef and cost of poultry products keep increasing due to increasing cost of transporting the animals from the highly-violent North where they are being bred. Also, cost of cooking meat to a medically recommended hygienic level has also increased as cooking gas prices keep increasing from 2000Naira to 2500Naira(12.5Kg standard) in the last 10 months and prices are expected to hit a 36-month high of 2800Naira in december 2014. I’ve personally noticed that eating meat is becoming more stressful for my teeth and I’m just in my 20s-no medical conditions attached.

Anyway, some animals whose meats we eat are prime carriers of such things like Tapeworm and Ebola Virus (yeah, I know you just got scared, right). Scientists
have found that a bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV), the
equivalent of the AIDS virus in cows, can
also infect human cells. It is supposed that BIV may have a role in the
development of a number of malignant or slow viruses in humans. If we consider the above stated facts that Nigerians are getting more economical in cooking meat(I’m a witness to that) in the face of the looming truths. The worst fear isn’t so far.

However, it’s not all bad news. You can still choose to eat eggs, honey and milk and fish but you’ll be called an ovo-lacto-pescetarian. Don’t worry, that’s still a type of vegetarian.

The Roman writer Ovid concluded his book titled Metamorphoses, in part, with the argument that in order for humanity to change, or metamorphose, into a better, more harmonious species, it must strive towards more humane tendencies. He cited vegetarianism as the crucial decision in this metamorphosis, explaining his belief that human life and animal life are so entwined that to kill an animal is virtually the same as killing a fellow human. Does this not resonate with the fact that North-Eastern Nigeria, where killing livestock for food is a major occupation is also the place where killing humans for fun(#BokoHaram) is also prevalent.

It’s just the right time to start embracing healthier diets and better living. I believe having more vegetarians in Nigeria will put an end to insurgency. I’ve decided to take the lead but not because I’m afraid of animals revolting. I’m just tired of chewing meat for hours. Aren’t you?

Like this:

Really, I wish I could get all “tech-ed up” in my language about this video.

But I can’t. I’m proud to just show you this robotics project by a close friend of mine who resides and is carrying out his robotics research in the Ahmadu Bello University in the violence prone city of Zaria in Northern Nigeria. His name is Iorpenda Msuega Jnr. He’s another bright example of the sterling intelligence of Nigerian youths who show innovativeness despite the odds stacked up against them – you’ll notice the materials used are cheaply sourced and fabricated with bare hands.

Iorpenda’s robotics work is partly powered by the zeal to use robots in search-and-rescue missions during armed conflicts with non-state actors like terrorists and kidnappers. This is quite common where we reside. For this reason, and in the spirit of friendship, I’m giving his innovations a voice on my blog, hoping you will join hands and give this brilliant robot an opportunity to help #BringBackOurGirls

Like this:

Well, in the last 5 days, Nigeria where I live has made me experience a whole lot of things:

I spent 3 days trying to finish up on my Masters Degree Project.

Then I published a little novel titled “When We Made Men” aimed at teenagers and young adults. I’ve not even checked back to monitor the sales figures.

Then it was Saturday and I woke up to find the whole block empty. All my neighbours had gone for an interview conducted by the Nigerian Immigration Services. Yeah, I remember they told me about it but I decided to just sit back and pray for them. I’m an Engineer (who works privately) and a Writer and I do these things because I love them and I enjoy doing them. The pay packet of a young engineer in Nigeria is still small so they expected me to join them in getting government job. Well, 2 hours after they left, I read on Sahara Reporters News Page that 10 people had died during the interview. I got tensed but not scared. Then, an hour later, BBC reported that 5 more people had died at the interview and several more were injured.

What sort of interview is this? I asked myself.

Then I logged on to the internet and I saw pictures. There were 3000 available positions and approximately 2million people had applied and showed up on the same day and in different venues all over the country. I know you’re shocked but that’s the level of unemployment in Nigeria, the most populous black nation on the planet.

Well, my neighbours returned, all looking really depressed. Many of them summoned up the courage to congratulate me for my foresight. Talk of sticking with my low-paying job. I couldn’t help feeling a little smug but really. I won’t blame them.

Then on Sunday, I decided not to attend church but spend the time doing some statistical analysis on energy demand in Nigeria. Some of us still take pride in a low-paying job. Enough pride to skip Sunday service. Then I read another news on the internet, the President will be inaugurating a National Conference that comprises 492 delegates, each of them receiving 12million Naira for discussing “the Nigerian agenda”. I normally don’t cuss but excuse me, WTF is the Nigerian agenda. The budget for the conference is 7 Billion Naira and there are no youths among the delegates. Some hours later, I try to keep up with the news and I watched as a Nigerian commissioner and political office holder slaps a graduate and manhandles him. That’s barbaric, I thought.

Then, just this morning, I dressed up to get into my department in the faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The building was sealed off because security officials believe an explosive – (BOMB, in plain language) has been planted somewhere inside the building. Well, the only problem is – I’m already inside the building, doing my work and updating my blog. I learnt a lesson, though.

It’s a matter of time before the things that happen far away eventually find their way to our doorstep if we keep quiet about them. The Nigerian youth is dying. God save him.

Like this:

24 October 1994

“…The RLA prize [Right Livelihood Award] was most welcome. It encouraged the Ogoni people a great deal, legitimized MOSOP as a non-violent, and environmental and human rights organization, and the prize money will ease things a great deal for me. I don’t see Shell and the government allowing me to travel—they must dread what bombs my presence will drop in Europe as I’m supposed to address the Swedish Parliament, the European Parliament in Strasbourg and another meeting in London.There or not, my words will ring through all the places. If I can’t make it, I intend to ask my son to represent me. But somehow, I’m hopeful that I’ll be there. If I’m not, then it is in Ogoni interest that I should not be. God’s will.

As the days go by, I get the more convinced that the cause will win. I remember your encouraging me in the early days of our meeting, saying how because I had a certain independence of means, I might well be the only activist capable of giving Shell a run for their money. When I think how far we’ve gone on very thin resources, I have cause to be grateful to God. And no matter what Shell does or says, they’ve been in rough waters since July 1992 when I advised the [UN] Working Group on Indigenous Peoples in Geneva. I am grateful to all those of you who have rallied round the Ogoni cause—UNPO, Greenpeace, International Pen, etc. And there must be better news on the way. I should mention the Bodyshop, of course. You probably know that they nominated me and MOSOP for the RLA Award. I have sent an appeal to President Carter asking him to intervene and resolve the conflict. Someone of his reputation would make quite a difference. My cousin in America has been quoted as saying the MOSOP (USA) would sue Shell. Exxon had to pay 5 billion USD for the oil spill from one tanker in Alaska. By the time we’ve created sufficient awareness internationally, it should be possible for us to find assistance should we wish to sue.

… As far as I am concerned, Shell should lose its mining lease in Ogoni. They may be pretending that they do not want to return to Ogoni. The fact is that they have 500 million barrels of oil on secondary drilling at K. Dere [a village in the Gokana district, Ogoniland]; they only last year awarded a 550 million USD contract to some organization to design the gas collection throughout Ogoni and the K. Dere field was to help in the natural gas plant at Bonny. No, Shell are merely hoping that the government will succeed in “pacifying” the Ogoni and then they will move in proudly and calmly to continue to steal. They are in for a fight they will never forget. Luckily, I’m no longer alone. Several Ogoni youth are now learning the ropes, and if only they could get further exposure, they would be able to continue the struggle even in my absence.”

Like this:

I really don’t like the fact that I have to put up this post on my blog. Y’know as a patriotic citizen of Nigeria wholoves his country and has enjoyed the indignity of entering an online forum of engineering professionals carrying high his national identity like a halo above his head only to notice that several people started logging out of the forum as quickly as they would if the devil had just come in carrying a “666” brand.

I also do not like being unable to transact any business on any of the leading online stores or payment sites like paypal, Amazon etc. I’ve come to accept it as part of the cross I have to bear. At least, Jumia and Konga are coming up fast. Then someone told me that I can’t even send money with Western Union Money Transfer if I’m in Nigeria.

Well, it’s all part of the things that made me unwilling to post this. I thought, “Now more people will know it through me that Nigeria has good fraudsters”. But wait, which country doesn’t have good fraudsters. I heard that Kim Kardashian was paid almost 80million naira by Darey Art Alade and co to perform in Nigeria (I didn’t even know she was a singer). Then she came to Naija and dropped at Muritala Mohammed Airport, said hi to a few people at the Airport who recognized her and then she was on the next flight out of the Niger Area with 80million Naira safe in her account. No apologies. No regrets. WoW. Then I heard of Mariah Carey. Paid about 50million Naira (not sure) to perform for Christmas party by a Nigerian bank that had just laid off hundreds of its staff because they couldn’t afford to pay them. She came in, did a few oohs and aahs and suddenly vanished from the venue while the bank executives sat down waiting for more. They obviously thought they had paid a stripper….lol.

So I told myself, I’m not ashamed to say my own!

I also scammed a scammer. He sent me a message on facebook using a name that sounds like Jama Durango to tell me his name is really Doris and he has seen my profile and she likes hardworking people and achievers and she wants to tell me something privately in my e-mail. She tells me his e-mail address and encourages me to mail him. I tell him to check out my blog at www.humanetech.wordpress.com and read the posts and try to follow using his e-mail. Then I will communicate. He checks my blog but doesn’t follow but now he knows I know his motives. Who says you can’t scam the scammers? Yes, you can.

PS: I’m not in anyway in support of fraud. This is just for laughs and be nice to Nigerians when you meet them. Many of them are honest. I truly wish you’d believe that.

My first novel will be published on 14th March, 2014 and I will appreciate it greatly if you’ll be one of my first readers. I promise it’ll be sold at a relatively low cost and I’ll put up the links as soon as it’s available for sale.

Like this:

Now some weeks ago, a friend pointed out a church to me. That church is owned by Brother Titus (not real name).

Which Brother Titus?

The Brother Titus that was the former deliverance minister of Fire Mountain Gospel Church.

I’m sorry I don’t know the Fire Mountain Gospel Church personally but I’ve heard of it and the great miracles that happen there. I’ve also heard about its founder and how he started the church.

Now, here’s what I heard about the founder and presiding Pastor of Fire Mountain Gospel Church. I heard he was a young graduate of Lagos State Polytechnic and he fellowshipped with Mountain of Prayer and Deliverance Ministries as a student. His spiritual gifts were legendary as a vibrant young man and so the General Superintendent of MPDM took him under his wings for mentorship and tutelage. After 5 years of Pastoral tutelage, he gathered some of his colleagues and told them the Lord was calling him to ‘come out of his Father’s house’. With their encouragement, he told the General Overseer of his calling. The Man insisted he needed more training. He wouldn’t have any of it but a rich member of the church who can testify of his spiritual gifts decided to help him sponsor his ministry.

After an initial largesse of 2million naira was given to him, he secured land and equipments and materials to start his church. His financier was always on hand to give more. To make the services livelier and attract youths, he got a band and lots of youths from the G.O’s church, MPDM (where drumming is forbidden) relocated to his church, FMGC. They pay their offerings and tithes faithfully during every service though they haven’t gotten a job after getting their tertiary education. Things were going well; he only needed to recruit a firebrand deliverance minister with the same level of gifts he possessed because being a Pastor now and a church founder made him more engaged with external relations, conferences and such meetings. He first recruited Brother Demas who left after two months with some members to start his own ministry just two blocks down the road from the headquarters of MPDM. It was a strategic decision and a strategic location. Then Brother Philetus who also left after 7 months because he was due to be promoted to ‘the next level in the ministry’ but wasn’t. He also later started his own church with some other members who felt similarly cheated in the promotion and management of FMGC. Then Brother Titus came along, very humble and little flair for extraordinary displays of miracle and power but he could pray fiery prayers. He was also a University graduate searching for employment. By now, FMGC was already a massive church in Nigeria due to the unflinching largesse of its relentless financier who has also invited other rich friends who have also testified of the miracles in FMGC and how their businesses boomed since they joined.

One of the new rich men noticed Brother Titus and took him shopping once and 3 days later while Brother Titus was wearing his new Gucci suit on the pulpit he noticed a lady called Rita. She just joined FMGC, he wanted to marry her after a couple of months of dating. The problem is that Rita hasn’t been baptised and the G.O. refused to conduct the wedding. Brother Titus confides in Rita and they both leave the church. Brother Titus’ rich friend hears of it and donates money to the couple. They start their own church and name it Fire beyond Fire Mountain Gospel Church. In a few months, the church has grown from its initial membership of just 2 to 102, because people have heard that the Brother Titus has been so blessed by God such that he has never worked as an employee of anybody yet God has blessed him and he can wear Prada and Gucci, whenever he wants.

That’s the same thing my friend told me when he pointed it out to me. I told him, the devil wears Prada too.

Then I ask, all these new churches springing up like fungi at every street corner in Nigeria, are they all still part of the protestant movement?

I thought that ended a long time ago, so why all the protesting? Old habits do die hard. Anyway, I’m not against founding of churches but I think limits are good in every sane society and if Nigerians are really faithful to Christian teachings, their suffering from large scale corruption should have ended long ago. Several of FMGC’s big spenders were recently alleged to be members of a political cabal that sold crude oil to bunkering vessels of the coast and imported electricity generators at $50 unit cost and sold them for $250 per unit to citizens whose monthly earnings are just about $120 (that’s about the new IMPROVED minimum wage for the Nigerian worker).

Also, has anybody noticed that the new churches are founded by young graduates whose degrees would have found better use if there was employment? Anyway, mine is just an observation but I wonder when all the fake hungry protesting will stop and give way to REAL PROTESTS AGAINST CORRUPTION IN HIGH PLACES.

PS: My first novel will be published on 14th March, 2014 and I will appreciate it greatly if you’ll be one of my first readers. I promise it’ll be sold at a relatively low cost and I’ll put up the links as soon as it’s available for sale.

In my last post, I spoke about My American Friend and I mentioned another story about another American friend I knew some years ago. Well, here is it and here is the information that reminded me of him. I showed him how to have twin babies. Just stick with me through this long post.

Many couples dream of having twins! But, is it possible to conceive twins by following a particular regime? Are
there any natural ways to go about it without indulging in medications or drugs? This is what my other friend wanted to know from me. We met in Kano, northern Nigeria during a workshop by The Nigerian Red Cross. I’m a member of the Red Cross and I wear a badge about it almost as I will wear my wedding ring. This American heard during the introductions that I’m from South-Western Nigeria, a Yoruba boy that belongs to the group of people who have the highest number of twin conceptions on the planet. He wanted to have twins and he wanted to learn the secrets to that from the Master himself…. Moi….and he told me Americans don’t take ”No” for an answer. Well, I gave him the answers I had but not without some trouble. Our conversation went something like this:

Actually, Mr Fisk, there’s only one pair of twins among my living extended family…..

Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about son, you guys have something you’re not telling us.

(Looking Lost) That means we don’t have much and I can’t claim to be an authority about….

No… Tobi, that’s a lot. I don’t even have a pair in my lineage.I could break that jinx y’know. My wife loves them in twos and threes.

(Trying to change the topic). Oh, have you had lunch?

I heard you guys have some special food you take that increases fertility and some deities of fertility you……

Sir, I’m a Christian and so are my parents but do you really mind meeting a fertility goddess for this?

It’ll make my wife happy and me….well, it’s the least I could take home from here.

(Up till that moment I’d really found it difficult to picture Americans as people who’ll go all the way to please their wives, where do the divorce statistics come from?) I need an answer in the comments box.

I didn’t want him to lose his Christianity(being a Christian myself) in the quest for twins and pleasing his wife so I tell him our secrets. Here’s what I told him we eat: Lots of pepper(including Alligator pepper), Amala (I told him to check the method of preparation on the internet). If I had told him how difficult it is or how it looks, I’ll have had to do one for him. That’s all I know we eat and many others don’t.

To my surprise, he was very pleased to hear that. If I had known it was that simple, why did I try to dodge in the first place. I could have said anything. He told me about the statistics. Yoruba births are almost mainly multiple births. I knew we had plenty but I didn’t know the rest of the world had so little.

Well, something in my formula seemed to work because almost 2 years later, Mr Fisk has gotten his twins. He was overjoyed. I only hope he can forgive me when he sees this post.

Now I saw this on the internet today and it may have some truth in it, if you really want to have your twins.

It comes to me that you are wanting to have twins, is it? Or perhaps you and your partner fascinate to be called proud parents of twins?! Well, whatever the reason might be, conceiving twins needs you to follow some dos and don’t’s which could prove to be useful and the perfect solution to your anxiety. Owning twins is an altogether different experience for the parents as well as the family! And it is fun most of the time!

However, to get into the phase, you first need to understand that the methods and tips described below are a result of extensive research and statistics and might not always be foolproof. Although, many couples keep wondering, how to get pregnant with twins or how to increase your chances of having twins or how to conceive twins naturally? Let us find out taking into consideration the following aspects.

Getting pregnant with twins, either girl-girl, girl-boy, boy-boy, is said to work out using some natural ways given below. I mean, there isn’t any risk involved here and hence no harm trying these tips to get pregnant with twins.

First of all, you as well as your partner need to be prepared for pregnancy and childbirth, of course. Raising twins can be a difficult job so thorough mental preparation is required from both especially the woman. Also, you as a woman, should be able to carry the twins and thus physical fitness is mandatory. Generally, it has been observed, healthier and taller females tend to give birth to twins often in comparison to others.

Timing the Act:
If you may not be aware, ovulation plays a very crucial role in trying to conceive twins. It is very important to know the ovulation dates properly so as to plan the intercourse accordingly. Also, several intimate positions are said to affect the chances of having twins so make sure, both of you indulge and experiment with them. (The writer didn’t mention the positions so I’m also at a loss).

Managing the Diet:
Diet is perhaps one of the most popular and effective natural ways to conceive twins and also the most appropriate answer to how to have twins? Consuming a well-balanced diet sufficient for you as well as your baby (babies here!) is advisable. Plus, make sure you eat a lot of dairy products like milk, yogurt and buttermilk.

Statistics prove that dairy products help multiple egg production by the ovaries ultimately increasing the chances of twins’ birth. Likewise, consuming wild yams has been associated with the same and hence introducing cassava root becomes compulsory. Also, folic acid rich foods like leafy vegetables, cereals,
grains, legumes, beans and the folic acid supplements help a great deal in conceiving twins naturally so increase your folic acid intake too. (I understand the science behind Folic acid intake and dairy foods intake but yams (well, a trial isn’t harmful, Amala is actually made from wild yams and we do eat them a lot here). I’ve also heard about eating okra seeds which is peculiar to a particular Yoruba village whose Twin conception rate is the highest in the world-almost 75%.

Heredity & Genetics:

Science has proven time and again that a woman is likely to give birth to twins if her parents and grand as
well as great grandparents have had twins. This actually relates to the family genes wherein the hereditary factor coding for twins’ birth is transferred from one generation to another. Sounds interesting, ain’t it?

Some of the best ways to conceive twins naturally are by following the above simple ideas. how to conceive
twins naturally or how to have twins naturally is something in God’s hand, however, you can easily
increase your chances. Even if you are not successful, a single baby would bring equal amount of joy and
happiness in your life.

Well, you have it all. You can increase your chances with the giver of twins. It’s a thankless job for me to share this but if it works feel free to tell me. If it doesn’t let’s still be friends.